Grandstand analyst Tim Gore examines the records of the Roosters and the Sea Eagles ahead of their qualifying final at the Sydney Football Stadium.

This battle of first and fourth has the potential to be a cracker.

The Roosters are coming off a strong win over the Rabbitohs and, while a weakened Manly side was rolled at Brookvale last week, the Sea Eagles' form leading into September has been building in an ominous manner, winning nine of their last 11 games.

The Sea Eagles have won three of the past five between these sides but the Roosters won both encounters this season in tight, bruising affairs.

Attacking stats per game

Tries

Metres

Tackle breaks

Offloads

Line breaks

40/20s

Roosters

4.6

1378

31

8.8

5.7

2

Sea Eagles

4.5

1381

27

10

5.3

6

In attack the stats say there is virtually nothing in it. The Roosters break slightly more tackles and make slightly more line breaks. The Sea Eagles are number one in the NRL for 40/20's so the Roosters back three will need to be on their game.

Defensive stats per game

Tries conceded

Metres conceded

Offloads conceded

Line breaks conceded

Missed tackles

Errors

Roosters

2.3

1267

8.3

2.7

24

10.5

Sea Eagles

2.6

1235

9

3.3

25

10.4

These two sides have been clearly the best defensive teams in 2013 and again virtually nothing separates them .

The Sea Eagles concede slightly more tries and line-breaks but they concede 32 fewer metres a match.Further, these sides are the two most penalised sides in the NRL. The Roosters concede 8.4 a game and the Sea Eagles 7.6.

Given the officials' recent increase in the use of the sin-bin a few may sit on the sidelines in this encounter.

The stars

The Roosters have so many players in top form. The halves pairing of Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney boast 22 line-breaks, 34 line-break assists, 41 try assists and 14 tries between them. However, they also average a combined six missed tackles a game.

The Roosters outside backs of Tupou, Minichello, Kenny-Dowall, Jennings and Tuivasa-Scheck average 16 tackle breaks a game, boast 66 line-breaks and 51 tries for season 2013.

For the Sea Eagles their attack will be led by Foran, Cherry-Evans and Brett Stewart. Between them they boast 50 try assists and 34 line break assists. Jamie Lyon featured heavily in these departments in 2012 but he has only 4 try assists to his name in 2013.

Manly score the overwhelming majority of their tries on the edges and expect them to try to do the same on Saturday night. Between them Tafua, Matai, Lyon and Williams boast 62 tries. Further, while the first part of the Sea Eagles season was built on brutal defence, their attack has been on song in the run in scoring an average of six ties a game.

Matt Ballin's 44 tackles a game will be crucial to their chances.

The liabilities

Apart from the missed tackles of Pearce and Maloney, the biggest issue the Roosters have is players conceding penalties. Pearce, Maloney, Sonny Bill-Williams, O'Donnell, Kennedy, Nuuausala, Guerra, Jennings and Friend have all conceded over 10 penalties apiece this season.

The Sea Eagles problem is also penalties conceded. On Saturday night they will have nine players taking the field that have conceded over 10 penalties in 2013.

The winner

Again, the stat that separates these two sides is finals experience.

The Sea Eagles have double the experience of the Roosters. X-factors like Sonny-Bill Williams could wreak havoc with the Manly defensive line, but against a Roosters side missing Cordner and Waerea-Hargreaves the composure and experience of the Sea Eagles in finals games should prove too much.

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